Charles News

Woman Charged After Leaving Seven Children All Under the Age of Five Unattended in Hot Car While Shopping

Woman Charged After Leaving Seven Children All Under the Age of Five Unattended in Hot Car While Shopping

On May 10, 2019, at approximately 1:05 p.m., Charles County 911 received a call from a child indicating he and six other children were inside a car unattended and hot. The child was not sure where they were, but through GPS and other mechanisms, the call-taker was able to pinpoint the location of the...
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Man Sentenced 15 Years for Child Abuse of 5-Month-Old, Resulting in a Skull Fracture

Man Sentenced 15 Years for Child Abuse of 5-Month-Old, Resulting in a Skull Fracture

Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, May 9, 2019, Charles County Circuit Court Judge Amy J. Bragunier sentenced Delontre James Austin, 23, to 15 years in prison and an additional 5 years of suspended time for Second Degree Child Abuse and Neglect of a Minor. Upon release, Austin will...
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SMECO Honors Region’s Outstanding Math, Science, and STEM Teachers

SMECO Honors Region’s Outstanding Math, Science, and STEM Teachers

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) worked with the school systems of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties to select and honor 22 educators with Outstanding Teacher awards for their leadership in the fields of mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. Receiving awards this year were eight math teachers, nine science teachers, and five STEM (science,...
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More Than 66,000 Maryland Drivers Warned of License Recall and Confiscation Risk

More Than 66,000 Maryland Drivers Warned of License Recall and Confiscation Risk

A group of Marylanders are at risk of having their driver’s licenses or identification cards recalled in June if they don’t satisfy document requirements that are part of the federally-mandated REAL ID process. The overall deadline for obtaining a REAL ID is October 1, 2020, but more than 66,300 Marylanders with a new REAL ID...
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Lackey’s Perriello named Charles County Principal of the Year

Lackey’s Perriello named Charles County Principal of the Year

School has always been a place where Kathy Perriello feels comfortable. “I had wonderful experiences at school, wonderful teachers and administrators,” she said. “School was always a good place for me.” Perriello was recently named the 2019 Charles County Principal of the Year and a finalist in the Washington Post’s Principal of the Year program. It’s...
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Charles County Students Earn National Awards in Jr. American Citizens Contest

Charles County Students Earn National Awards in Jr. American Citizens Contest

Several Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students recently earned national honors in the Junior American Citizens Contest, sponsored by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). The organization includes a Junior American Citizens Committee, which supports contests for children that promote patriotic development. The Junior American Citizens Contest is open to students...
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CFC Al Davis Named Charles County Detention Center’s 2018 Correctional Officer of the Year

CFC Al Davis Named Charles County Detention Center’s  2018 Correctional Officer of the Year

Charles County Detention Center Director Brandon Foster, along with Sheriff Troy Berry and members of the CCSO and CCDC Command Staff, are proud to announce that Correctional Officer First Class Al Davis has been named the 2018 Correctional Officer of the Year. CFC Davis was presented his award in April. CFC Davis began his...
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Wesley Adams III, Appointed as Charles County Attorney

Wesley Adams III, Appointed as Charles County Attorney

Charles County Administrator Mark Belton announces the appointment of E. Wesley Adams, III as county attorney. Adams will begin his employment with Charles County Government on Monday, May 13, 2019. Adams has spent more than 20 years as a criminal prosecutor. Most recently, he served as the State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County.  He...
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Two Second District Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad Members inducted into the Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association Hall of Fame

The Second District Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad, Inc., is extremely proud to announce that two of its’ long-standing and dedicated members, Charles L. “Redtop” Henderson, and Blair Swann, have been inducted into the Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen’s Association Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the...
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Nine College of Southern Maryland Students Win Awards for Public Service Announcements

Nine College of Southern Maryland Students Win Awards for Public Service Announcements

Nine College of Southern Maryland (CSM) students recently won accolades and prize money for producing public service announcements (PSAs) about preventing vehicle theft. The digital media production students wrote, filmed and produced 30-second PSAs that offered warnings and tips to Maryland motorists to help them avoid having their vehicles stolen or broken into. This...
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La Plata Man Arrested on Assault Charges After Brutal Beating at Smallwood Drive Park and Ride

La Plata Man Arrested on Assault Charges After Brutal Beating at Smallwood Drive Park and Ride

On April 12, 2019, at approximately 1:00 p.m., deputies from the Charles County Sheriff‘s Office responded to the Smallwood Drive Park and Ride on Smallwood Drive West, for the report of an assault. Police arrived on the scene and observed the victim, a 21-year-old male lying on the grass adjacent to the parking lot....
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BUCKLE UP, PHONE DOWN – Police Encourage Motorists to Wear seat belts and Park Cellphones

BUCKLE UP, PHONE DOWN – Police Encourage Motorists to Wear seat belts and Park Cellphones

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) and sheriff’s offices from St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties announced a partnership focused on enhancing driver safety. “More than 120 unbelted drivers and passengers are killed every year in Maryland” said Chrissy Nizer, MDOT MVA Administrator and Governor Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative. “Not...
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CSM Announces Keynote Speaker for Spring Winter Commencement May 17

CSM Announces Keynote Speaker for Spring Winter Commencement May 17

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) will recognize 527 candidates receiving 837 certificates and degrees during its 60th Spring Commencement ceremonies Friday, May 17, at the college’s La Plata Campus. CSM Professor of English, Communication, and Languages Dr. Richard Siciliano, who has earned the distinction of working at the college for 50 years –...
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Governor Hogan Invites Chefs to Submit Recipes for ‘Buy Local’ Cookout

Governor Hogan Invites Chefs to Submit Recipes for ‘Buy Local’ Cookout

Governor Larry Hogan invites chefs using local Maryland ingredients to submit original recipes for the Governor’s Buy Local Cookout, which will be held at Government House in Annapolis on July 18. Recipes must be submitted by May 17, and include products from at least one Maryland farmer, waterman, or other producer. Chefs are encouraged...
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Charles County Construction Worker Taps Into Power 8s Game for Shocking Win

Charles County Construction Worker Taps Into Power 8s Game for Shocking Win

The need to quench his thirst with a refreshing Gatorade put a Charles County construction worker in the right place at the right time to power up with a welcome $100,000 scratch-off win. The lucky man, who rarely buys scratch-offs but enjoys playing the ones he receives as gifts, picked the $10 Power 8s game as...
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Franchot to Celebrate Small Business Appreciation Week

Franchot to Celebrate Small Business Appreciation Week

Comptroller Peter Franchot will visit small businesses throughout Maryland next week in recognition of Small Business Appreciation Week, which runs from May 5-11. “From Oakland to Ocean City, small businesses are the beating heart of our state’s economy,” said Comptroller Franchot. “These companies create jobs, provide necessary services, invest in local communities, drive innovation...
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Governor Hogan Announces Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Survey Shows Strong Growth

Governor Hogan Announces Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Survey Shows Strong Growth

Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, announced that the results of the 2019 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey showed that the Bay-wide blue crab population increased 60 percent from last year, to an estimated total population of 594 million crabs. “We are proud of our administration’s strong record of skilled environmental stewardship, which...
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Tyson Foods Recalls Chicken Strip Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Tyson Foods Recalls Chicken Strip Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Tyson Foods, Inc., a Rogers, Ark. establishment, is recalling approximately 11,829,517 million pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip items were produced on various dates...
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Police in Charles County Arrest Trio for Armed Robbery, Theft and Other Charges

Police in Charles County Arrest Trio for Armed Robbery, Theft and Other Charges

On Thursday, May 2 at approximately 7:05 p.m., officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a beauty supply shop on Festival Way in Waldorf for the report of a theft in progress. Employees noticed two females and a male concealing perfumes in a bag. When the employees approached them, one of the...
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Fire After Lightning Strike Completely Destroys Garage in Port Tobacco

Fire After Lightning Strike Completely Destroys Garage in Port Tobacco

On Thursday, May 2, 2019, at approximately 6:20 p.m., firefighters from La Plata, Nanjemoy, Waldorf and surrounding departments responded to 6335 Bluegrass Way in Port Tobacco, for the reported structure fire. Crews arrived on scene to find a large detached 3-bay garage fully engulfed in fire with no extensions or exposures to surrounding structures....
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Woman Struck by Vehicle After Being Involved in Serious Motor Vehicle Accident in Waldorf

Woman Struck by Vehicle After Being Involved in Serious Motor Vehicle Accident in Waldorf

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, at approximately 12:15 a.m., police fire, and rescue personnel responded to the intersection of Acton Lane and Crain Highway for the reported motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. Dispatchers advised the 911 caller stated that a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle. While units were responding to the scene,...
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Maryland State Police Arrest Trio In Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In St. Mary’s County

Maryland State Police Arrest Trio In Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In St. Mary’s County

Maryland State Police have arrested three people in connection with an armed robbery and kidnapping on Thursday in St. Mary’s County. The suspects, George Sewell, 50, of Lexington Park, Toinette Lathon, 55, of Waldorf, and Quadre Simmons, 26, of Lexington Park, are charged with first- and second-degree assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment and armed robbery....
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Waldorf Man Arrested for Arson After Lighting His Mothers House on Fire

Waldorf Man Arrested for Arson After Lighting His Mothers House on Fire

On Friday, May 3, 2019., The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office arrested Quintin Rene Palmore, 20, of Waldorf, in connection to a small fire that took place on Thursday night. Palmore’s mother, Renee Speight, contacted authorities after he proceeded to ignite her living room on fire using...
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Man with BB Gun Puts Benjamin Stoddert Middle School on Lock Down and Leads to Arrest of Waldorf Man

Man with BB Gun Puts Benjamin Stoddert Middle School on Lock Down and Leads to Arrest of Waldorf Man

On Thursday, May 2, 29019, at approximately 1:40 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer Cpl. S. Cook received a report of a man in a wheelchair with what appeared to be a gun in the vicinity of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School. The school was immediately placed in a “shelter-in-place,” meaning no one...
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Maryland State Police Prepare For Increased Patrols For Cinco De Mayo

Maryland State Police Prepare For Increased Patrols For Cinco De Mayo

As Cinco de Mayo approaches on Sunday, Maryland State Police are urging those who plan to celebrate with alcohol to be safe and smart and avoid impaired and distracted driving. With an increase in impaired drivers expected throughout the state this weekend, state police will be conducting saturation patrols at each of the 23...
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